AVON — A petition demanding a hearing on a disputed plan to eliminate school social workers has been submitted to the board of education.

School administrators plan to eliminate four social workers and hire school psychologists in their place, which has prompted an outcry by parents and students who say social workers provide crucial services that psychologists do not.

More than 100 people attended the school board's meeting Wednesday and many spoke against the plan. Board Chairwoman Peggy Roell said the petition for a hearing was submitted Tuesday.

Roell said Thursday that town officials have begun verifying the signatures on the petition. She said the petition must be signed by at least 1 percent of the town's registered voters to be valid. A hearing would have to be held within three weeks from when the petition was submitted, Roell said.

Major changes have been made at Avon High School for the new school year this fall, including eliminating the academic level of courses at the high school, the lowest of four designations.

Kelly Grant, the director of pupil personnel services, told those attending the school board meeting that she thinks school psychologists are better able to help students who are having difficulties adjusting to the new changes, which she said has caused anxiety among students who are worried about their academic performance.

"This is not an attack on social workers but a matter of who can do more to follow students long-term and provide a more comprehensive plan for them," said Grant, a former school psychologist.

But that was disputed by parents and students on Wednesday. They said social workers have been key to helping students overcome challenges. Michael Frost, a student at the high school, said the social worker at Avon Middle School helped him overcome serious emotional difficulties when he was there.

"The school psychologist was not the person who helped me. It was the school social worker who helped me," Frost said.

That sentiment was shared by many parents who spoke about the difficulties their children faced and how social workers helped them.

Rosanna Crivelli said classes at the academic level and help from a school social worker were key to her daughter's success in high school.

"You are taking away two things that can help many students — the social workers and the academic courses that they can get into," Crivelli said.

The plan to eliminate social workers has drawn attention from outside the district. The state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers has sent letters to the board and Superintendent Gary Mala asked that the three social workers be kept.

Stephen Karp, director of the state chapter of the association, said that social workers bring a broader perspective to their work than psychologists. He said that includes issues beyond school that may impact students' performance, including troubles at home.

"I am afraid that the school board's approach is very focused on the classroom and takes away focus on what is happening outside the classroom that affects students," Karp said.

The board has not renewed the contracts of the three social workers. Grant said Wednesday the intent is to increase the number of school psychologists from the five to eight. But Roell said the social workers could be rehired if the board changes its mind.

Up to now, there have been two social workers assigned to the high school and one who worked with students at the middle school and at Pine Grove and Roaring Brook schools.